Ritz-Carlton Cocktail Lounge

Geneva, Switzerland

Bars

Connecting from B3-designed Fiskebar restaurant within the Hotel de la Paix, the lounge shares the feeling of timeless warmth and rich luxury in keeping with the hotel’s historic architecture on the edge of Lake Geneva.

The room was rumoured to have once been used for the drafting of the Geneva Convention, and the antique gilded dove-shaped door handles make a poignant reference to Switzerland’s legacy of peace.

The brief to B3 was to make the lounge a destinational cocktail bar and lounge in its own right in celebration of the architecture of the space whilst ensuring it felt comfortable, warm and atmospheric with the ability to function as a private dining area. We were fortunate to have some pre-existing heritage-listed features to work with in the cocktail bar and lounge, which include antique wall panelling as well as classic French mouldings.

The cocktail bar and lounge has a rich palette of textures, colours and timelessly classic vintage furniture. The curved bar, supported by a mixologist’s dream liquor display, sits in one corner of the room, framed by high bar stools. Low-level tables and plush seating are scattered throughout the rest of the space.

The heritage features are complemented with an opulent Venetian-style distressed fresco and plaster effect on the walls, which are also adorned with an eclectic cluster of curated and bespoke Geneva-themed artwork, posters and photographs with historical significance. The bijou lounge is an intimately private and exclusive space with a rich velvet banquette and subtle lighting.